A review on an electrochemically assisted-scrubbing process for environmental harmful pollutant's destruction

Mediated electrocatalytic oxidation (MEO) has been used for 150 years. Recently, the process was combined with scrubbing technology to allow the effective treatment of industrial air pollution. This review focuses on the development and applications of the MEO-assisted scrubbing process for the treatment of environmental air pollution. Particular focus was given to MEO using metal ions as mediators, influencing factors, such as electrolytes, electrode, flow method and rate, and the scrubbing column. More than 200 related publications were reviewed with 174 cited. Electro-scrubbing is considered as an advanced technology with possible further developments. Active electrodes, such as titanium-based Pt, DSA(RuO2/IrO2) film electrodes result in the complete mineralization of air pollutants in the MEO process. Air pollutants are removed with the assistance of electrogenerated high energy metal ions, such as Ag(II), Co(III) and Ce(IV), as well as by ozone and chlorine, as mediators in an acidic medium.